Minolta Program Flash 2500(D)

12:00 PM EST: Minolta has today announced a new Program/Maxxum
Flash 2500(D) designed to complement the new DiMAGE A1 and DiMAGE Z1 digital
cameras. "The new Minolta Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D) is the perfect
complement to Minolta's Maxxum SLR film cameras and DiMAGE digital cameras,"
said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Minolta Corporation's
Consumer Products Group. "This new programmed flash unit is an accessory
designed to obtain maximum compatibility between our film and digital
cameras. It provides photographers with the most reliable flash exposure
and the creative freedom they need to capture their visions on film or
digital media, regardless of the existing lighting conditions."

Phil: Yes, the embargo was broken early by digitalkamera.de.
I've no idea why we were told to hold until 12:00 PM EST, of course that
meant we weren't totally ready, apologies.

Press Release:

MINOLTA ADDS TO ITS LINE OF POWERFUL FLASH UNITS

The affordable new Minolta Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D) enhances
the Maxxum photographer's as well as the DiMAGE photographer's gadget
bag

New York, NY (August 7, 2003) - Minolta Corporation introduces a new
member to its line of powerful Maxxum flash units - the compact Minolta
Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D). This affordable flash unit is characterized
by powerful, automatic performance and is compatible with all Minolta
Maxxum Single Lens-Reflex (SLR) film cameras, the Minolta DiMAGE series
of digital cameras including the new Minolta DiMAGE A1 and DiMAGE Z1 digital
cameras.

"The new Minolta Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D) is the perfect complement
to Minolta's Maxxum SLR film cameras and DiMAGE digital cameras,"
said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Minolta Corporation's
Consumer Products Group. "This new programmed flash unit is an accessory
designed to obtain maximum compatibility between our film and digital
cameras. It provides photographers with the most reliable flash exposure
and the creative freedom they need to capture their visions on film or
digital media, regardless of the existing lighting conditions."

When used in combination with Minolta's D series lenses and Advanced
Distance Integration (ADI) compatible camera bodies such as the Maxxum
4, Maxxum 5 and Maxxum 7, the new Minolta Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D)
uses the sophisticated ADI metering system for controlling flash exposures.
With conventional flash metering, dark or highly reflective subjects can
deceive the metering system and cause over or underexposure. To reduce
influence from subject or background reflectance, ADI metering uses distance
information from Minolta D series lenses with TTL (through the lens) metering
to control the flash output.

The Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D) has a bounce flash head that can be
tilted between 0° and 90°. This can be used to create soft, indirect
lighting in interiors by reflecting the flash off the ceiling.